Indian-American Republican presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, vowed to decouple the US-China economy if he is elected as the next president of the country. The 38-year-old multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur made the strong remark at the party's third presidential debate in Florida, which was attended by Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. He also explained why the United States couldn't "get tough" with "our enemy" China.
"Here's why we can't get tough with China. It's because we depend on them for our modern way of life. And we have to declare economic independence from our enemy," Ramaswamy said.
He also termed it as the declaration of independence that he would sign after he became the president of the country.
"That's the Declaration of Independence that Thomas Jefferson, at the age of 33, would have signed. And today, if he were alive, that's the Declaration of Independence that I will sign as the next president,” he said.
He said the US was dependent on China's supply chain "for the F-35 jets, for the ships that we're building". He said the US is dependent for pharmaceuticals and semiconductors on China.
“We need politicians who are independent of the forces that increase our dependence on China. My message to Xi Jinping is this, you are done buying land in this country. You will not donate to universities in this country. US businesses won't expand into the Chinese market until you play by the same set of rules,” Ramaswamy said.
{{/usCountry}}“We need politicians who are independent of the forces that increase our dependence on China. My message to Xi Jinping is this, you are done buying land in this country. You will not donate to universities in this country. US businesses won't expand into the Chinese market until you play by the same set of rules,” Ramaswamy said.
{{/usCountry}}Ramaswamy clashed with Nikki Haley at the debate.
“You have the likes of Nikki Haley, who stepped down from her time at the UN, bankrupt or in debt is -- was her family. Then, she becomes a military contractor. She joins the board of Boeing and otherwise. And is now a multi-millionaire. So I think that that's wrong when Republicans do it or Democrats do it. That's the choice we face,” he alleged.
He also called her Dick Cheney in three-inch heels.
“Yes. I'd first like to say they're five-inch heels, and I don't wear them unless you can run in them. The second thing that I will say is: that I wear heels. They're not for a fashion statement. They're for ammunition,” Haley said amidst cheers from the audience.
Donald Trump didn't participate in the debate.
With inputs from PTI